Sunday, 05. September 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
** Since conflict in healthy functioning teams is inevitable (and is indeed a
positive characteristic of high quality decision-making),
it is important that leaders manage conflict rather than try to eliminate it. So how can a leader accomplish this?
A leader must realize that conflict is a
normal part of highly effective decision making. B. Aubrey Fisher, the late Professor of Communications at Utah University, n
oted four distinct phases of the group decision-making process - each characterized by a different pattern of interaction:
1) The Orientation Phase –
This phase is characterized by people getting acquainted, clarifying, and tentatively expressing vague thoughts concerning the issue being discussed. This stage is a period of forming thoughts, not rocking the boat, and getting orientated with the issue.
2) The Conflict Phase –
The second phase of group decision-making is characterized by open debate. In the first phase, members only tentatively express their opinions, which are typically ambiguous.
Now, in the "conflict" phase, many team members will appear to have their minds already made up. Group members will express much less ambiguous attitudes, and express them more tenaciously. They will also seek to provide evidence to substantiate their beliefs - and often times, a full-fledged debate within the group will occur - with various coalitions forming around the differing opinions being offered.
3) The Emergence Phase – If the group handles the conflict phase in a healthy manner,
in time the process will move into the "emergence" phase, where a solution the whole group can support starts to form. Coalitions who have opposed various proposals start to weaken as a solution the whole group can support begins to emerge. Opposition to the proposal will still be expressed, but this opposition starts to dissipate as attidudes about the issue are modified.
4) The Reinforcement Phase – As group members begin reach a consensus on the decision, dissent all but vanishes. Pervading this final phase is a spirit of unity. All members seem to agree and strive to show this agreement by positively reinforcing one another. Group members are jovial, loud, laughing, and verbally backslapping each other.
** Group members feel confident the process has provided the best solution.
** Leaders should not fear conflict in the group decision-making process, but work to lead it well - so that its fruits can be richly harvested!
Wednesday, 01. September 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The Harvard Business Review provide a list of the “Ten Fatal Flaws That Derail Leaders” as follows:
1. Lack energy and enthusiasm
2. Accept their own mediocre performance
3. Lack clear vision and direction
4. Have poor judgment
5. Don’t collaborate
6. Don’t walk the talk
7. Resist new ideas
8. Don’t learn from mistakes
9. Lack interpersonal skills
10. Fail to develop others
This makes a great “stop doing list” for leaders. Which one or two (or three…) potential flaws do you need admit, and start working on?
Tuesday, 24. August 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Great leaders take the time to define, or explain, three things:
1. Define what it is. The purpose of an explanation is to describe the issue, the initiative, or the problem. For example, if you are pushing for cost reductions, explain why they are necessary and what they will entail.
2. Define what it isn’t. Here is where the leader moves into the “never assume mode.” Be clear to define the what is not expected, or what is not to be completed. For example, if you are asking for reductions - explain you are looking for reductions in costs, not people. Be explicit. Leave no room for assumptions.
3. Define what you want people to do. This is an opportunity to make a call for action. Establishing expectations is critical - and can also be used to challenge people to think and do things in new and innovative ways.
Thursday, 19. August 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Until the recent advent of “Quantum theory,” a Newtonian mindset ruled much of scientific thinking. In Newton’s world, “space” is an empty vacuum. Yet in the emerging science of Quantum physics, space is not empty – but contains real, yet invisible “fields” which fill and structure our entire universe.
In Quantum theory, the space around you and I is a bustling profusion of forces and energies. One can think of the Quantum universe as an “ocean” where penetrating creative forces connect everything to everything else – no matter how far separated by time or distance.
** When applying Quantum theory to organizations and leadership, new perspectives start to emerge. The “Newtonian” style Leader tends to “give” their vision, and other directives, to their company – then the job of employees is to quickly arrive at the leader’s preferred vision and destination. Sometimes the leader will use fear to get everyone to the destination; other times, they may use various incentives – hoping that will do the trick.
The “Quantum” Leader understands there is an invisible geometry of fields filling the space of their organization. They know these fields are very powerful, and serve as a prevailing force influencing behavioral and organizational outcomes. Though some leaders may label these fields their “organizational culture,” this is not completely accurate. Though culture may reflect some of these forces, science is discovering that these forces run much deeper than mere cultural issues.
The Quantum Leader realizes these invisible, yet very real fields and forces are constantly “creating reality” – and thus greatly impact everything their employees are doing. These fields are primarily being “constructed” by the emotions, beliefs, and intentions of each manager and employee in the organization. (For more information on Quantum Physics, see information below.)
Therefore, the Quantum Leader creates and nourishes the context where everyone (not just executives or managers) are “field creators” – through ongoing conversations and actions that continuously reinforce the preferred attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and intentions of employees.
Since in Quantum Theory space is never “empty,” visionary leaders know their organizational space needs to be proactively filled with coherent vision, values, belief, positive intentions, and integrity.
Challenge: If this Quantum stuff sounds like hocus pocus to you – then increase your understanding of the creative power of this emerging science through your reading. You can start by reviewing information on Wikipedia – then go from there…
Saturday, 14. August 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The culture within an organization is most powerfully influenced and enforced by the leader of that organization. In fact, it is often said “the culture is the shadow of the leader” - and therefore it is the responsibility of the leader to fully be aware of what type of “shadow” they are casting.
How is an organization’s culture embedded and transmitted by leaders? In his book, “Organizational Culture and Leadership”, Edgar Schein provide some clues.
Primary ways culture is embedded by a leader:
* What leaders pay attention to, measure, and expect on a daily/regular basis from their employees
* How leaders respond to critical incidents, conflict and organizational crises
* What types of questions leaders ask
* What is deliberately role modeled, taught, and coached
* How leaders allocate resources, rewards and status
* How leaders select, promote and terminate individuals
Secondary ways culture is established and reinforcement by a leader:
* How the organization is structured and designed
* Systems and procedures used for daily activity and processes - How things are expected to get done.
* Unwritten rites and rituals within the organization
* Design of physical space, facades, and buildings - including the dress code
* The type of stories told about people and events that have impacted the organization
* Formal statements of organizational philosophy, values, and vision
As leaders, we are responsible for the culture within our teams and organizations. We cannot blame others - or blame the past - but must take responsibility to create the type of culture that is healthy - and one that facilitates ingenuity and creative growth.
*Reflecting on the above lists, what type of shadow is your leadership casting?
Friday, 06. August 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“Behind every impossible achievement is a dreamer of impossible dreams.” – Robert K. Greenleaf, noted father of “Servant Leadership” Theory
There is a part in each of us, deep inside our spirit, that searches to be apart of something truly significant – that craves big goals and noteworthy accomplishments. The men and woman who make a significant and lasting difference are (almost always) those embrace this inner urge with serious thought and focus. Who choose to look farther ahead than they have to, and then link those long-term goals to their daily actions.
But when a person embraces a compelling “long-term” goal, should that goal then be set in stone – never to change? Is it a sign of weakness to adjust it as one moves forward? The obvious answer is “no.” While we need to courageously move in the direction of our goals and dreams, we need to give them freedom to morph into something different, deeper, or more – as you move toward the destination.
Though your goals may morph along the way, they should at all times stretch you. They should make you feel uncomfortable – for this is a sign you are on to something. Therefore, do not be afraid to go after a goal that seems unlikely, or even unattainable, for this “stretch factor” will force you to grow… Will force you to change how you listen, invent, imagine, test new approaches, learn, and expand your capacities.
So… when you find yourself saying:
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if I could…”
“When I imagine making the greatest contribution to life, or loved ones, it would be…”
** Let the answers to these questions propel you into your future! Allow them to enable you to accomplish what others believe is impossible!
Monday, 02. August 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The “2010 Global IBM CEO Study” is one of the largest one-on-one interview studies - surveying 1,541 CEOs, general managers and senior public sector leaders from 60 countries and across 33 industries. One of the primary findings of the survey was:
* Creativity is the most important leadership quality, according to CEOs. Standouts practice and encourage experimentation and innovation throughout their organizations. Creative leaders expect to make deeper business model changes to realize their strategies. To succeed, they take more calculated risks, find new ideas and keep innovating in how they lead and communicate.
Creativity is essential when uncertainty is high, and where the future is expected to be a significant departure from what we’ve known in the past. When uncertainty is high you cannot just repeat the successful practices of the past and expect similar results. You will need to find new ways of thinking, new ways of operating and new ways of behaving. The IBM survey puts it this way…
“Creativity is often defined as the ability to bring into existence something new or different, but CEOs elaborated. Creativity is the basis for ‘disruptive innovation and continuous re-invention,’ a Professional Services CEO in the United States told us. In addition this requires bold, breakthrough thinking. Leaders, they said, must be ready to upset the status quo even if it is successful. They must be comfortable with and committed to ongoing experimentation… It’s not that CEOs are just now becoming aware of the importance of creativity - they have long been aware of the need to innovate their products, their processes and their customers’ experiences. But today, creativity itself has been elevated to a leadership style. Traditional approaches to managing organizations need fresh ideas, ideas that are intended to disrupt the status quo.”
Saturday, 24. July 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Recently, I heard a friend talk about the “positive power of no.” Basically, he said that until we have the confidence and ability to say “no” to many of the good things around us - we will not be freed up to say “yes” to the really great opportunities in life.
William Ury explains in “The Power of a Positive No” that perhaps the single biggest mistake we make when we say No is to start from No. We derive our No from what we are against — from what we do not want. A Positive No calls on us to do the exact opposite - to base our No on what we are for - on what we really want to accomplish in life. That the true power of “no” is rooted in a deeper “Yes” — a Yes that align with our core values, interests and dreams.
I read of someone who suffered from a serious addiction to alcohol that nearly cost him and others their lives in a car accident. He tried many times to give up the habit but always failed. Then at the age of sixty, just when all hope seemed lost, he found in himself the will to say No and stop drinking. The secret? “When my first grandchild was born,” he says, “I wanted more than anything to live long enough to see him grow up. It was his birth that motivated me to get treatment and stop drinking. Since then, for over fifteen years now, I have not touched a drop.” His Yes to being present for his grandchildren — to be able to play with them and see them grow — motivated his powerful No to alcohol.
His story serves to illustrate an everyday paradoxical truth: The power of your No comes directly from the power of your Yes.
From reactive to proactive… The biggest obstacle to saying No successfully is our tendency to act, and make decisions, without clear purpose - thus our Nos tend to be reactive. Start today by defining your YES. Intensely clarify your underlying goals, values and dreams - which will serve as a guides, and enable you to confidently say “No.”
Tuesday, 20. July 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
What are the organizational leadership concepts that are most likely to move your organization into the future?
Check out the following:
1. EXECUTION – “It’s not your strategic choices that drive success, but how well you implement them over time.”
2. THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION – “A learning organization is one that is deliberately designed to encourage their people to keep thinking, innovating, collaborating, talking candidly, improving their capabilities, and making personal commitments - thereby increasing the organization’s long-term competitive advantage.”
3. CORPORATE VALUES – “Companies that care about ethics, trust, citizenship, and even meaning and spirituality in the workplace (and articulate their values carefully) far out perform companies that are focused simply on the bottom-line.”
4. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT – “The cultivation of long-term relationships with customers, and their needs, leads to highly focused companies that seek to make consumers part of their family.”
5. DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY – “Embracing technological innovation can radically undermine competitors that remain vulnerable because of their own efforts to simply make current technologies more efficient… So in this there is a warning: Preempt your own comfort zone by adopting a new, “disruptive technology” yourself - before others beat you to it.”
6. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – “You can train all your employees to be better choosers, strategists, managers, and in the end, better leaders. Do just that.”
7. ALIGNED DNA – “Innovative leaders design their organization’s structures, incentives, reporting relationships, and flow of information to create high performance by aligning them with one another and to the strategic vision and goals.”
8. COMPLEXITY THEORY – “Markets and businesses are complex systems that can not be controlled mechanistically - but need to be carefully guided as they emerge (through complexity) toward new and more effective systems and processes.”
9. LEAN THINKING – “Help employees use a heightened awareness of wisdom and conscientiousness to cut waste, eliminate cost, boost quality, and customize mass production.”
Friday, 16. July 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Researchers studied exceptionally high performing teams – teams that consistently accomplish the “impossible” in challenging circumstances – and found 6 key factors that separated those teams from the rest.
(It is interesting that each factor related to how mutual understanding, trust, and respect were established in the team. They found that effective communication, trust, and understanding created an environment where exceptionally high results could later be attained.)
These 6 elements were:
1) This is the work I am best at… Research found that highly effective team members had a clear understanding regarding their personal strengths – the kind of work they do best. In addition, each member had a mutual understanding of team member’s strengths.
2) These are my values… A person will not put their heart into something they do not personally value. Commitment to exceptional work rises significantly, not when an individual is clear about the organization’s values, but when they are clear about their own values – and if those values then align with those of the organization. Highly effective team members are able to communicate (and demonstrate) to others: “These are the values that matter most to me.” And again… there is mutual understanding and respect on the team.
3) This is what energized me… This may have nothing to do with work, and this is fine: “Here are some of my most compelling life interests and passions… These are the activities or pursuits I have a blast doing and make me feel the happiest.” Team members know each other at this deeper level.
4) This is what I need in order to learn and work at my best… Team members need to understand how each member personally learns and works at their highest level. For example: In their work environment, do they like music, or quiet? What temperature do they work in the best? What type of environment is the most productive?
5) These are the results I can be expected to deliver… Each team member needs to be clear, and communicate to the rest of the team: “You can count on me to deliver the following specific results, and by when.” Members on highly effective teams know the answer to this question for each person.
6) This is what I need to feel genuinely respected and recognized… “To give my best at work, here’s what I need to feel genuinely respected and recognized as part of this team.” Again, research has shown that there is mutual understanding (and respect) on highly performing teams.
Challenge: How accurately can you describe each of these 6 items about yourself? How much do you know regarding the others who serve on your teams? The clearer you are on these issues, the more effective your (and the team’s) performance will be.
